SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Level One Communications Inc. here today announced volume production of its dual-speed (10-100-megabit) repeater, designed for managed, stackable and stand-alone hubs.

The 8-port repeater, the LXT9880/9883, includes a fully integrated physical-layer device(PHY). According to Level One, a subsidiary of Intel Corp., this architecture allows network system manufacturers to build repeater products at significantly lower prices than entry-level switch products.

"The LXT98xx family was developed specifically to satisfy dual-speed connectivity demand at the lowest cost," said Mike Wodopian, vice president of networking at Level One. "We believe our solution allows basic Ethernet connectivity system manufacturers to offer dual-speed connectivity at 20% less system cost than switches, and we remain committed to driving down the price curve in this cost-sensitive market segment."

By including two media-independent interface (MII) ports, Level One's chip eliminates on-silicon bridge costs when cascading devices to 16- and 24-port configurations. Power consumption is only 2.8 watts, which reduces the need for fans in most implementations and enables lower-cost plastic casing.

The LXT9880/9883, is currently sampling. Pricing begins at $16 each in volume quantities.